It’s been almost two months now since I started my THRIVEwithJoe blog and it’s definetly been a fun ride thus far. Thank you to everyone for following me and especially for your encouraging feedback!

Recently my good friend Faudeya suggested I blog about my food experiences. I mean who doesn’t like good food? I associate a delicious meal/dish/roll/platter to spending quality time with friends and family, celebration, excitement, special occasions, spontaneous get togethers and adventure. In my opinion, a good meal is so much more than fuel for the body.

For my inaugural food posting, I am showcasing three of my favourite “comfort foods”. I’m sure you’ve been asked a question like “If you could only have three meals for the rest of your life, what would they be?” Well, these are my three choices:

#1 – THE BELOVED SUSHI MAKI ROLL. The presentation of a sushi roll is key, the beautiful intertwinement of colours is the first thing that attracts you as the plate is presented in front of you. The various textures and fusion of flavours as you take that first bite. Crunchy, spicy, salty, all in one rush to the palate! The one featured below is the “Sushi Spring Roll” from NAMI in Toronto and is absolutely brilliant. Try it and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Shout out to Sullivan bros. for introducing me to this amazing restaurant!

Sushi Spring Roll Heaven

#2 – THE CHARCUTERIE PLATTER – Inspired by the Europeans, there is nothing to hate by the ease and simplicity of preparing one of these beauties. It’s open game, you select your preferences of cheeses, breads, crackers, jams, olives, cured meats, veggies, fruits, and compliment it with your favourite wine. In the short time that it takes to unwrap the goodies, Boom!, you are ready to serve! My friend Claire though, who is a big connaisseur of this platter will insist that if you are going to have a brie in the spread, make sure it’s PRESIDENT brand 😉 (I tend to agree). The one featured below is the creation of my friend Phil. I’m sure you will be seeing more of his dishes in my future posts, as his culinary talents spread wide across the board.

Simplicity and ease

#3 – BREAKFAST BRUNCH – If there is one meal I could eat all day it would be the traditional breakfast combo. In fact, I’m sure you have done it before when craving breakfast for dinner. Or maybe after a late night out? A scrumptious breakfast always satisfies your cravings. The one below is from one of my favourite brunch places in Ottawa called The MANX Pub. They are highly recommended for their simple menu with quality brunch items that cater to all, from the vegan to the meat lover. Hidden in one of the underground corners of a busy downtown street, this restaurant is always packed and never fails to have a line of patient diners waiting to get a table. Always worth the wait! Thank you to Amy & Stephanie for joining me this weekend. We kicked out a pretty good planning session for our upcoming marathon adventures in Australia while I dined on the delicious meal pictured below.

My SOHO breakfast: 2 eggs with toast, mushrooms, sausage, cowboy beans and bacon with tasty mashed potatoes

If this post peaked your interest, well stay tuned! I will be travelling to Europe and Asia in November, which means there is a whole world of food adventure waiting to be discovered.